Western Digital hard drives from families Tornado, Tornado PATA, Tornado 2R, Tornado 2PMR, Tornado 2D, Atlantis, Atlantis PATA, Spider, Gekko, DragFly2, DragFly3, Kermit, Sadle G6, Sadle 2D and Sadle BK belong in the category of disks that "park heads" on a ramp. Sometimes, due to a shock or malfunction, heads don’t get back to the ramp and they stay on the platters and stick to them. This prevents the motor to start rotating the platters and hard drive emits a “buzzing” sound.

The purpose of HddSurgery head unstick and replacement tools is to enable safe heads passage over the "data" area above platters surface back to the ramp, and to provide non-contact transfer to the patient drive.

HDDS WDC 3.5” Ramp p2-3 (head unstick tool)

This head unstick tool can be used to safely and easily unstick the heads from the platters and transfer them to the ramp. During the whole procedure of head unsticking, heads and platters have no contact. Heads are lifted over NON-data area and safely guided over the platters back to the ramp.

HDDS WDC 3.5” Ramp p2-3 (head replacement tool)

This head replacement tool can be used to safely and easily replace the heads.

Remove screws holding flat cable contact and with a finger push contact from the bottom upwards to release it. The pressure from below may cause flat cable contacts to pop out and possibly damage platters, so hold firmly top of a flat cable contact with another hand while pushing related plastic. Before applying pressure, remove screws from their holes.

Carefully center the tool over the center hole of the hard disc head arm. Take care that the notch on the bottom of the tool coincides with the notches on the actuator arm base. Tighten the screw to perform tool installation.

With your right hand make sure that the tool shank with snouts remains in the area outside of the platters. Be sure to tighten the screw in order to ensure good contact and proper tool height.

2. Step - Lifting the heads

While holding the back side of the head arm with one hand, horizontally move the tool shank to slide it over platters. Hold the back side of head arm (magnetic coil) to assure that the tool lifts the heads and not push them. Construction of the tool snouts enables them to lift the heads by relatively small force. If you feel that the necessary force is greater than the expected, check tool positions and possible damage to the HDA assembly. Push the tool as far as possible until the snouts lift the heads completely. The heads are now unstick from the platters.

3. Step - Moving the heads to the ramp

Move the tool with heads out of the platter area and over the ramp. Push the back side of the head arm (magnetic coil) together with the tool itself to prevent heads from slipping until they reach the ramp. When the heads are over the ramp, hold the back side of the head arm (magnetic coil) and move the tool horizontally so the heads slide from the snouts to the ramp.

4. Step - Dismounting the tool

Remove the screw that’s holding the head and tool attached to the drive itself. While unscrewing this screw, hold the back side of head arm (magnetic coil) and make sure that the heads stay on the ramp. Also, take care that the tool remains away from the heads and platters while removing it. Now the tool can be removed.

Head replacement process

1. Step – Mounting the tool on actuator arm

Remove screws holding flat cable contact and with a finger push contact from the bottom upwards to release it. The pressure from below may cause flat cable contacts to pop out and possibly damage platters, so hold firmly top of a flat cable contact with another hand while pushing related plastic. Before applying pressure, remove screws from their holes.

Carefully center the axis of the tool over the larger round hole near the top of the head arm (near the heads themselves). Take care that the snouts stand away from the heads, and push the axis of the tool all the way down through the hole. Axis of the tool should go easily through this hole.

2. Step - Securing the heads with the tool

Push the tool so the snouts go between the heads. Snouts should not move or lift the heads. They will just keep the distance between them and assure that the heads don’t touch each other. Secure the tool in this position with provided securing pin. Pin should go through the hole easily.

3. Step - Moving the heads off the ramp

Remove the security brake and scroll the heads off the ramp. When heads are off the ramp, tool will prevent the heads from touching each other and head assembly can be safely and easily transferred to another drive.

4. Step – Dismounting the heads

To lift the head assembly, tweezers are needed. Use tweezers to grab the head assembly through one of the holes on the head arm. Pull the head arm up using the tweezers. To make sure that the head assembly goes straight up, use one finger to pull the back side of the head arm (side where the magnetic coil is) simultaneously.

Don’t try to dismount the heads by pulling the tool.

5. Step - Mounting the heads in a patient drive

Place the head assembly with the tool to its place in a patient hard drive using the tweezers. Assist the process with your other hand.

6. Step - Moving the heads to the ramp

Push the heads over the ramp. While holding the heads on the ramp, use tweezers to return the security brake to its place.

7. Step - Dismounting the tool

Remove the security pin from the tool. Scroll the tool away from the heads. While holding the head arm in its place with one hand, pull the axis of the tool out of the hole to dismount the tool.

Put the lid back and close the disk. Put PCB back and clone the drive.

You can find more information about this tool and many other tools used for data recovery on our website.

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